MMORPGs are one of the biggest, most important game genres currently available to players. The sprawling worlds, intricate storylines and capacity for friendship are all reasons to pick an MMO up. However, there has been a frightening decrease in the number of people who are spending time in MMOs. Players seem to be leaving the genre at an unprecedented rate, and Daybreak Game Company boss John Smedley appears to know why. Daybreak is currently working on getting H1Z1 an official release.
John Smedley, president of Daybreak Game Company
In an interview with GamesIndustry International, Smedley discussed a wide range of things. Most important were these statements regarding the future of MMOs – specifically ones that use the same formula as World of Warcraft.
"I firmly believe the days of the WoW-style MMO are over," Smedley said. "And that means we have to change with the times. Luckily, we were kind of early on that bus as opposed to late. But we're changing what we're making."
Smedley says that H1Z1 is an MMO, but that the average lifespan for a character is around forty five minutes, which means that you never really have to put eons of time into your avatar.
"And I say that because the average life expectancy in H1Z1 might be 45 minutes, and that's what today's gamers want. How many people do you still know that are still raiding in WoW every night, or EverQuest and EverQuest II? It's just the time commitment necessary has changed so much," Smedley explained. "That means we need to change with the times, and we are. So we're getting interested in a broader array of games and gaming styles."
Smedley may be right, but World of Warcraft is still the most dominant force in the MMO genre by a longshot. While many tout Warlords of Draenor as the last expansion into the game's timeline, another entry would prove to bolster the ranks once again.
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